Manifest Destiny and Its Impact
Hyperlinked materials are considered part of each lecture
and should be reviewed.
The phrase
manifest destiny
was used to express the
belief that the United States had been chosen by God to
extend its power and culture across North America. A similar
concept had been operative since the first colonies in the
New World-- based
upon perceived social, economic, political, religious and
technological superiority of the Europeans. Many Americans
had also pursued this belief with their objection to the
Proclamation of 1763, the Louisiana Purchase, and the
invasion of Canada in the War of 1812. Many factors of the
1830's and 1840's have been cited as catalysts of the
expansion movement: Nationalism, racial superiority, fertile
land, pressures of population growth, economic development,
natural resources, technological advances, the spread of
slavery, reform ideals and in most cases, a disregard for
the indigenous peoples of the lands involved. In general
terms, the areas experiencing expansion included: Texas (a
Mexican province), Northern Maine, Oregon Territory,
California and various areas west of the Mississippi. The
Smithsonian has created an excellent slide show of art works
portraying the real or imagined
Lure of the West .
The textbook provides an excellent analysis of these
movements, outcome and the various people impacted. Just for
the purpose of a reminder, please recall each of the
following "land grabs":
*Texas-Mexican
War and the Texas Republic
Visit this video clip from the
History Channel
The Alamo
*Boundary Dispute with Britain in
Maine
*Boundary Dispute with Britain in
Oregon
*Overland Trail impacting Native
Americans
*Annexation of Texas
*War
with Mexico
*California
Gold Rush
*Watch
this video clip from the History Channel
The Gold Rush
*Attempted Purchase of Cuba
*Gadsden Purchase
In assessing this rapid acquisition
of territory two distinct issues must be considered: the
process of western expansion and settlement and the
interaction of expansion and national politics. The Texas
and Oregon questions became embroiled in the 1844 campaign,
as the Democrats nominated and elected the expansionist
James
K. Polk.
If you have never heard of this President, wait until you
visit Nashville some day. After Texas was added to the
Union, conflicts with Mexico over California and the Texas
boundary erupted into war in 1846. Besides adding
California, New Mexico and Utah to American territory, the
war with Mexico forced the slavery controversy (ignore
advertisements) (note
these political cartoons from the time period)
to the center of national debate. The acquisition of
extensive western lands immediately renewed the debate over
the extension of slavery. The Wilmot Proviso and the Free
Soil Party attempted to forbid slavery in the new
territories to the extreme dismay of the South. Ultimately,
this conflict was temporarily resolved by the
Compromise of 1850.
The four key components:
1. California was admitted as a
free state.
2. The Mexican cession was divided
into two territories: Texas and New Mexico. Settlers would
decide the issue of slavery by popular vote or "popular
sovereignty".
3. Slave Trade (not slavery) was
prohibited in the District of Columbia.
4. Developed a new Fugitive Slave
Law and promised rigorous enforcement.
For a short time,
sectional tensions
seemed to recede and the development of the emerging western
culture continued--it was the calm before the storm.
One of the best summaries of this
topic is provided by the authors of the textbook in the
instructor's materials for Chapter 13:
"For many white Americans in the
1840's, Manifest Destiny incorporated both liberty and
power. Expansionists almost reflexively believed in their
free right to occupy virtually all of North America.
Regardless of belief, Americans knew they had the power to
acquire the territory they coveted, The Anglo-Saxon version
of civilization--the only version blessed by Providence,
expansionists believed--must replace those of Native
Americans, Mexicans, and even that of religious dissenters
such as the
Mormons.
The Democratic Party defined progress as spreading American
institutions over space, while the Whigs defined it as
improving institutions over time.
As territory was acquired, other
questions of power arose: In the lands obtained by
annexation, treaty, or war, which settlement pattern would
be used? Would the South's reliance on slavery spread to
these new areas? Or would the North's commitment to free
labor prevail? Even with slave states and free states at
odds over a number of issues, the political implications of
slavery's expansion became enormously important. Many
Americans, North and South, viewed this issue as one that
permitted little room for compromise--thus, dooming to
failure the Compromise of 1850 and other attempts to create
harmony within the Union.
For other American groups liberty,
equality and power became enmeshed in the
westward movement.
Native Americans suffered a loss of territory, freedom of
movement, and cultural strength as their lands came under
federal control. African Americans had much at stake in
regard to slavery's possible expansion. For American women
(life
on the frontier),
the reluctance--and resistance--on the part of many women to
move to the frontier brought the realization that in
marriage and the family, patriarchy still ruled.
What were the issues related to
slavery and their impact upon American society?
For each module I recommend that you visit A Biography
of America
http://learner.org/resources/series123.html#
,
an exceptional video instructional
series for high school and college students produced by WGBH
Boston in cooperation with the Library of Congress and the
National Archives and Records Administration. These thirty
minute lectures incorporate first person narratives,
photographs, film footage and documents related to various
historical time periods. Combined with my introductory
comments, the required textbooks and our discussions, I
believe you will acquire a more in-depth and enjoyable
encounter with history. Please note the requirements and
possible download limitations—which is why this is not a
requirement. Please follow the directions below and give it
a try!!!!
You can view Annenberg/CPB programs
of your choice online with a broadband connection whenever
you see this icon.
There is no
charge for this service.
Simply select a
program
and go to the individual program description listing and
click on the icon. Free sign up required for first-time
users. To hear the sound and view video, you should have
Windows Media Player, DSL, a cable modem, or a LAN
connection to a T1 line or greater, and have Javascript
enabled. For more information, please visit our broadband
FAQ.
For this topic—visit
http://learner.org/resources/series123.html#
and
access the
presentation: Slavery.
Our textbook offers a very comprehensive Online Student
Learning Center. Click on the link below, Select the
appropriate chapter and you will have access to: Chapter
Objectives, Chapter in Perspective, Chapter Overview, numerous
Interactive Activities, Primary Source documents and my
favorite--Internet Exercises/Recommended Sites Related to the
Specific Topics
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072870982/student_view0/index.htmlFolk Music of American
History: Music and Lyrics
(highly recommended music before, during or after reading
cyberlectures!)
Additional
Folk Music and Lyrics